Grand National | Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside | Saturday April 11, 2026 | 4pm
The Grand National has changed significantly in the last decade, from fences now being much more forgiving to the cap on numbers. The type of horses running has also changed with a much classier field assembled. The first thing you notice, is that Irish dominance remains a big feature plus the strong hand JP McManus and Willie Mullins both hold on the showpiece race of the jumps season. Let’s take a look at four of the possible winners of this year’s big race at Aintree.
Nick Rockett
Last year’s winner was sent off at a huge 33/1 and gave Patrick Mullins an emotional winner riding for his father Willie. He arrived at last year’s race with better preparations having won at Gowran and Fairyhouse. This season, we have only seen him the once running at Down Royal finishing third. It is a big ask to go back-to-back here off a higher mark but he is proven to love the Grand National fences and it would be no shock to see him at least place again in this year’s race.
Banbridge
A horse who will be well at home on the spring ground just touched off in the King George on Boxing Day he finished third last time out at the Cheltenham Festival. The one question mark about him is the trip but should the race be run at a good tempo he could surprise a few and be in the mix turning for home.
Oscars Brother
One of many possible runners of huge interest for JP McManus, the green and gold silks are likely to be very prevalent in the runners confirmed for the race. Oscars Brother is a slightly more under the radar contender than some of his owner’s other options. He was purchased after a good effort to win at Punchestown and he has run twice since then, winning at Navan in a Grade Two before finishing a fair fourth at Cheltenham in the Grade One Brown Advisory. His handicap mark of 155 could just see this eight-year-old trained by Connor King as fairly well treated with the Grand National in mind.
Monty’s Star
If you like the idea of a horse coming in fresh, Monty’s Star ticks that box. Hendy De Bromhead’s nine-year-old was last seen at the Dublin Racing Festival where he finished sixth in the Gold Cup. Whilst he perhaps doesn’t win too often, he has run well on a regular basis at the top level. He looks primed for a good each-way play for a yard who have claimed this race back in 2021 with Minella Times.
